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Pause IV Day 1 The Outcry

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It’s difficult to read Habakkuk’s words and not feel an inward groan,
an ache of knowing that so much is deeply broken.

Pause IV, Day 1

Certainly, each of us, have echoed Habakkuk’s cries.

Everywhere I look, I see brokenness, God!
Fighting in the streets.
Marriages dissolving.
Children being abandoned.
Babies murdered.
People groups oppressed because of the shade of their skin.
Justice doesn’t even have a chance of prospering because the governing systems are so broken.

And we wonder where God is.
Does He see?
Can He not hear?
Doesn’t God care?!

Strange, isn’t it? To read ancient writings and watch them fit so perfectly in our own time as if they flowed from our pen.

Habakkuk had watched the slow degradation of his beloved nation for years. He had studied Israel’s history and traced her moral decline. He waited for God to move. He cried out for God to hear, and see, and do something!

Even as he threw his angry fists at the sky, tossing up his big, audacious questions, he also knew in his core, that God was real. He was present. He did see. He had not forgotten His people and walked away. Habakkuk knew truth.

This reality of God’s unchanging character both soothed and irked him. He knew God saw all the brokenness, yet Habakkuk was angry that God had not yet chosen to act as Habakkuk felt He, the Lord God, should act.

That’s a painful glimpse in the mirror for me, Sister.
Because Habakkuk is me.

Sit still with me here in the tension of an unchanging, always present, always loving God and the sinful, rebellious world we live in.

Consider the message the Lord had for Habakkuk, and ask what He has for you.
Choose to limit your words, and read His words before ours.

Grab your Bible, a journal and pen,
and open your heart to bask in the presence of the Almighty!

Today's Challenge

Today’s Challenge
1) Read Habakkuk 1, then circle back and re-read verses 1-4 a few times through.
Answer these 3 questions in your journal from verses 1-4:
a) What do these verses tell me about God and His character?
b) What do these verses tell me about others and the world around me?
c) What do these verses tell me about me and my heart?

2) Close your time by praying for these truths to take root in your heart and for the Holy Spirit to remind you and teach you more about these things today. Be sure to write out any questions you have as you read! If you’d like to send your questions to us, we’d love to study with you!

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Habakkuk 1

The pronouncement that the prophet Habakkuk saw.

2 How long, Lord, must I call for help
and you do not listen
or cry out to you about violence
and you do not save?
3 Why do you force me to look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Oppression and violence are right in front of me.
Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates.
4 This is why the law is ineffective
and justice never emerges.
For the wicked restrict the righteous;
therefore, justice comes out perverted.

God’s First Answer
5 Look at the nations and observe—
be utterly astounded!
For I am doing something in your days
that you will not believe
when you hear about it.
6 Look! I am raising up the Chaldeans,
that bitter, impetuous nation
that marches across the earth’s open spaces
to seize territories not its own.
7 They are fierce and terrifying;
their views of justice and sovereignty
stem from themselves.
8 Their horses are swifter than leopards
and more fierce than wolves of the night.
Their horsemen charge ahead;
their horsemen come from distant lands.
They fly like eagles, swooping to devour.
9 All of them come to do violence;
their faces are set in determination.
They gather prisoners like sand.
10 They mock kings,
and rulers are a joke to them.
They laugh at every fortress
and build siege ramps to capture it.
11 Then they sweep by like the wind
and pass through.
They are guilty; their strength is their god.


Habakkuk’s Second Prayer
12 Are you not from eternity, Lord my God?
My Holy One, you will not die.
Lord, you appointed them to execute judgment;
my Rock, you destined them to punish us.
13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil,
and you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.
So why do you tolerate those who are treacherous?
Why are you silent
while one who is wicked swallows up
one who is more righteous than himself?
14 You have made mankind
like the fish of the sea,
like marine creatures that have no ruler.
15 The Chaldeans pull them all up with a hook,
catch them in their dragnet,
and gather them in their fishing net;
that is why they are glad and rejoice.
16 That is why they sacrifice to their dragnet
and burn incense to their fishing net,
for by these things their portion is rich
and their food plentiful.
17 Will they therefore empty their net
and continually slaughter nations without mercy?

How Does “Pause” Work?
1. Each day, Monday through Friday, for 3 weeks, we will provide you with a simple challenge. Each challenge is designed for you to engage with the Almighty in a deeper way and perhaps in a new way than you have been recently.

2. Having a journal is a must! You’ll want to take notes as you walk this special Journey of Pause.

3. Each week focuses on one or two passage of Scripture and we walk with you as you study and flesh these out for yourself. As you write your thoughts, read His Word, and pray, questions might come up. That’s Perfect! Ask a trusted fellow believer, a pastor, or send us an email as you work through them!

4. Jumping in at the middle? No problem! Here is the entire Journey Theme.

5. Connect with others on Facebook by visiting our GT Community Group!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Pause IV Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies
in Pause IV!

The GT Weekend ~Ten Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Feelings of disappointment and ‘never enough’ can easily seep into our relationship with our earthly parents. Maybe they are, or were, difficult to please. Maybe you never really felt understood, or perhaps there were so many layers of conflict and communication barriers it was difficult to deeply connect. Maybe your parent has passed and you are left with loss, or perhaps even regret. Relationships are messy and complicated, even healthy ones! Even if you enjoy a rich, close connection with your parent, expectations and feelings of being “boxed in” to a previous role, can feel stifling and awkward. While it can seem natural to place these human failings and struggles onto our relationship with God, He is altogether other. Performance demands have no place. Shame is bound up. Love is unleashed in brilliant colors never before experienced! Where have you placed God in the same category as your parents? Take that to Him and ask Him to reveal His Father heart of love to you in new, vibrant ways!

2) Rebekah shared transparently on Wednesday on how easy it is to fall into the trap of working hard to earn God’s favor. We want Him to smile on us. We want His protection, His blessing, and His favor, so we will work to do things to please Him. There is simply nothing we can do to make ourselves more winsome to God! He hand-crafted us to mirror His own image. He already delights over us, and He cannot possible love us deeper than He already does. Because He is infinitely good, kind, faithful, and true, He adamantly will not love us less. Here’s the kicker, this extravagant love of God is not limited to you or me, unbeliever or church-goer. The Lord views each and every life with the same lavish love, utterly regardless of who we are or what we have done. Who is in your life that you have been hard-hearted towards or stingy with your love? Ask the Lord to shift your perspective, instead seeing them as highly valued and adored as a fellow bearer of God’s own image. How can you begin loving them more like Jesus this week?

3) Cheated. Even saying the word riles our hearts and we begin feeling the need to take up arms against someone who wronged our right or privilege. Take cheating within the context of marriage and the hurt sinks deep very quickly. Maybe you’ve experienced what it is to walk through being cheated on, or maybe you’ve been the cheater. Circumstances are complicated, reasons and justifications abound as quickly as the hurt does, and the trail back to where the distrust began is long and usually involves more than one party in the relationship. God didn’t design us for heartbreak. His perfect intention was for us to find delight in another and sink deep into trust as both people love the other unconditionally. Maybe you find your eyeballs rolling into your head at this point because this description feels so unlikely. Remember the heart of this specific commandment is to point towards a God who will absolutely never be unfaithful and will also always love us unconditionally. Focus on investing in the only relationship that will not leave you hungry for more. What can you do to develop your relationship with God more deeply?

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from 2 Peter 1:3-4 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire.

Prayer Journal
Father God, I love this passage of Your Word and the truths You speak of here. You have given everything I need for life and godliness simply by leaning deeper and deeper into knowing You! You are unfathomable accessible. Lord, I truly could sit and ponder this extravagant love for the rest of my days and never have plumbed its depths. Your glory and goodness have been made known to me in every moment; You are waiting to be embraced and known more fully by me. Every breath I take is an invitation to know You better! Oh Lord, how distracted I become by focusing on the fleeting things and passions I can see with my eyes or feel in my heart! I will quickly shift my gaze off of You for lesser loves. Yet, Your truth revealed here speaks wonderfully that I do not need to fall prey to these desires to chase the lesser. In You alone is my fullness found. Keep my heart here next to Yours, remind me how sweet Your truth and love are to my soul!

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

He Day 6 Yahweh Jireh

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 22:10-18
Matthew 6:5-8
Matthew 6:25-34
Ephesians 3:20-21

He, Day 6

I have never felt more “unseen” than in my first few years of motherhood. With my husband coaching late night games and my son often rising before dawn, I spent most mornings wondering how I was going to make it through another fourteen hour day alone with the kids.

Those were difficult, yet fruitful years, as I leaned into my desperate need for God. I needed Him for strength, grace, peace, and joy, and He provided me all of those and more. During those long, lonely days, I came to know Him as Yahweh Jireh, “The Lord Who Provides.”

Abraham was the first to call God by this name. He did so just after an enormous test of faith, when God asked him to sacrifice his one and only son, the son born of God’s promise to make Abraham a great nation. 

In Genesis 22, we watch as Abraham binds his son, Isaac, and lays him on an altar. Abraham raises his arm, fully prepared to use the knife he holds, only to hear the Lord call out and stay his hand. As Abraham looks up, he sees a ram caught in a thicket of thorns. It is God’s provision, a substitute sacrifice to stand in Isaac’s place. Abraham’s son no longer needed to die, God had Abraham’s full attention. 

Yahweh Jireh can be defined as both “The Lord Perceives” and “The Lord Provides.” These definitions may seem at odds, but as we will see, they are really two steps in a single action.

A great example of this is found in Numbers 11:4-23. In this passage, the nation of Israel is grumbling against their leader, Moses, and ultimately against the Lord. They are tired of the manna God has provided them and desperate for meat. They are so desperate, in fact, they begin to long for the land of their captivity, Egypt. 

The Lord hears their complaints and His righteous anger is aroused. He declares He will provide them meat; in fact, He will provide them so with much meat they will be sick of it. He informs Moses He will send them quail for a month.

Moses seems indignant and replies, “I am in the middle of a people with six hundred thousand foot soldiers, yet you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat, and they will eat for a month.’ If flocks and herds were slaughtered for them, would they have enough? Or if all the fish in the sea were caught for them, would they have enough?” (Numbers 11:21-22)

The Lord responds, “Is the Lord’s arm weak? Now you will see whether or not what I have promised will happen for you.” (Numbers 11:23)

The Lord makes it clear He will be the one to provide for Israel, not Moses, and indeed He does. Not only does He perceive both the Israelites’ “need” and its origin in attitudes of ungratefulness, but He provides remedies for both.

If we fast forward to the New Testament, we see another instance where Yahweh Jireh perceives and provides. In John 6, Jesus is wrapping up a full day’s teaching alongside the sea of Galilee, when He looks up at the gathering crowd. Moved with compassion, He looks over at Philip and asks, “Where will we buy bread so that these people can eat?”. (John 6:5)

I imagine Philip’s pulse quickened at the question, his mind reeling with the impracticality of finding, much less affording, enough bread to feed the thousands before him. 

“Two hundred denarii [nearly a year’s wages] worth of bread wouldn’t be enough for each of them to have a little,” Philip responds, despairingly. (John 6:7)

But Jesus never intended for Philip to purchase bread. The text tells us before Jesus asked the question, He had determined a solution. He would provide the food and He would do it through the meager offering a small boy’s lunch: five loaves of bread and two fish.

In both of these instances, God perceives a need and determines He will meet it.
Both times, man perceives the need and despairs.

Are you in a place of despair? 

Do you find yourself surrounded by overwhelming problems and unmet needs? Be encouraged! There is nothing, not a moment, of our lives that goes by unobserved by Yahweh Jireh. Unlike an uninterested bystander, the Lord not only perceives our needs, He moves on our behalf to meet them. 

Nowhere is this more true than in our need for a savior. Just as God provided a ram to stand in the place of Abraham’s son, He provided Jesus to stand in ours. 

Our salvation is a need we couldn’t possibly satisfy on our own;
our sin is a debt we could never repay.
Thanks be to Christ, we no longer have to. 

His death ensured our forgiveness;
His righteousness became our own.

Whatever you are in need of today, bring it before Yahweh Jireh. He has met our greatest need through salvation. How much more can we trust Him with the rest?

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
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Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into He Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in He!

Sketched VII Day 3 Following

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 14:25-33
Matthew 9:9-13
Matthew 7:24-27

Sketched VII, Day 3

These are the stories of the women behind Gracefully Truthful. How God led them here, and how He has grown their hearts to know Him deeper and love others more fully, as a result of stepping out in obedience.

—-

Kendra
The message came across my screen: “Kendra, I read some of your blogs and I was wondering if you’d be interested in writing for an online women’s Bible study?”

I bounced one of my twin daughters on my hip while I set my coffee down and responded without much thought: “YES!”

I was excited for an opportunity to be creative and pour myself into something different than hanging cloth diapers and cooking dinner. Little did I know how the Lord would use this to grow me.

As Gracefully Truthful continued to form, and I began writing Journey Studies,
a shift occurred in me.
God’s Word became more precious than ever because I was studying it through a new lens of learning so I could hold out truth to others.
The more I studied, the more I knew my Jesus.

That initial text came almost four years ago, and more life and death has happened in those four years than I would’ve ever imagined. Gracefully Truthful became my community, it became the consistent “thing” keeping me rooted in God’s word when my life crumbled around me. Looking back on Journeys I’ve written, I can see the journey of my heart as I learned what it means to write with vulnerability and transparency while trusting my Savior. This story isn’t about me, and every word if it points the God who sustains me despite my brokenness.

I haven’t arrived.
I’m not preaching from a mountain that others have yet to climb.
I am standing in the middle of the valley, my hand outstretched towards other sisters, while clinging to the truth of Scripture and the life God offers there.

Wherever you are, whatever your mess, God wants the same for you as He’s shown me….to use it for His glory!

Michelle
One of the biggest reasons I have grown deeper in my relationship with the Lord is attributed to women.

Women in high school who hosted Bible Studies.
Women in college who discipled me and showed me how Scripture study was tied to knowing Jesus more intimately.

Women in small groups sharpening me, pushing me, challenging me and reproaching me.
Women who have anchored their lives in God’s Word and have been activated as Kingdom Builders as a result.

Because of other women pointing me to Scripture, and watching my own heart grow deep from study, I am convinced of the high value of every woman studying God’s Word and applying it to their everyday lives.

I have seasons where I struggle to stay connected to God closely through His Word. I desire it, but life gets busy and I give way to excuses. Being connected in ministry with Gracefully Truthful provides personal accountability for me to be in the Word, actively applying it, and intentionally reaching out to encourage other women.

Writing assignments push me to research a passage for deeper understanding or clarity on a Scripture. I love studying His Word; it becomes more precious every time I read!

Often, something I’ve read from my personal time with the Lord is exactly the passage a person I run into that day resonates with, or it fits within the context of something I’m writing about. The beauty of following Jesus is that as we step out, He already knows where He is taking us.

We are guaranteed immense peace, joy and life to the full when following Jesus.
We are also promised persecution, and often suffering comes along for the ride. I struggle in being vulnerable in this suffering while writing. Worse yet is fear running rampant in my brain. I fear I will get labeled in someone’s mind as a goody-two-shoes for writing about the Bible. It’s a regular choice to proclaim truth rather than be concerned about another’s judgement. I pray regularly that He may be made great through my tiny contributions to GT as I follow one small step after another.

Sara
Have you ever been in a season with the Lord where you have a greater desire to obey the nudges you are receiving from Him, but aren’t sure what that looks like?
A few years ago, that quite accurately described me.

I knew the Lord was telling me to use my writing ability for His glory; however, I had no idea of the outlet. A random (ha! More like the direct orchestration of the Lord) moment in my church lobby with one of the current Gracefully Truthful writers opened a sudden and unexpected door; it was a perfect invitation to obey the Lord and I became a writer for Gracefully Truthful.

As I write my Journey Studies, I find the Lord so faithfully grows me through the process. Before the words formulate in my mind, I’ve had to learn how to listen for His voice through the Word and in prayer. I have experienced the joy of the Lord changing me in order to bless other women through words crafted on the page.

I’ve also discovered the beauty of being a vessel through which the Lord can move. Two things motivate me when writing a journey study: glorifying the Lord and encouraging the reader to draw closer to Him. Becoming a writer for Gracefully Truthful was one my steps of obedience as I followed Jesus, but those steps are all over the place for me and for you! He’s calling each of us; will you follow?!

Audra
Ministry has always been a part of my life and I had long waited in anticipation of becoming a missionary and moving abroad to share the gospel with those who are different than me. As I studied Scripture, I grew to understand that living missionally takes on many different forms. I began asking God to show me what my mission would be.

I carry many roles as wife, mom, small group leader, speaker, and author. As I’ve walked more closely with God He reveals how each of these are my mission field.  Living on mission doesn’t necessarily mean being called to a specific place, job, or people. Rather, it’s about being ready and able to testify of who God is wherever you go and whoever you’re with.

It was a few months before my wedding in Kansas City. Being from the Bahamas, I was doing most of my wedding planning online, which is how I was introduced to the ministry of Gracefully Truthful. Merry happened to be on our list for potential wedding photographers and she, obediently following the Lord’s whisper, “randomly” asked if I was a writer because she felt God put me on her heart to be the newest GT Partner.

I said yes!

But she didn’t realize I had been stalking GT and thinking how amazing it would be to write for them, but felt I wasn’t good enough.

I had never applied, but God had been working in my heart, going before me and preparing the way for me to follow.

GT’s mission lined up perfectly with my own passion to encourage and equip women to study Scripture and live out their own mission in following God. I couldn’t imagine what mission-living looked like for me, but God did. He stirred my heart with His passions then lovingly provided a place where I could communicate His heart for His daughters.

You don’t need to know all the answers and end-goals either; just follow!

Merry
I was several months pregnant with my youngest, caring for two toddlers, working part time and running a business, while also preparing to take college classes again when Rebecca reached out to me about writing for Gracefully Truthful. To be honest, absolutely nothing about writing for this ministry seemed to make sense in the natural, but unbeknownst to Rebecca, God had called me to write several years prior to that day.

When He first spoke to me about writing, I shrugged it off as crazy. But when I saw Becca’s message, the Lord brought me back to that moment in an instant.

So, I said yes.

You know, a kind of crazy thing happens when you start to say “yes” to God: He begins to give you more opportunities to say “yes”… and to keep saying it. Gracefully Truthful was one of those first “yesses” for me.

Being part of this writing team has been a stretching, challenging obedience which has forced me to examine what I believe, why I believe it, and whether or not I choose to submit every part of my mind, heart and life to God and actually live it.

Because here’s the thing: it’s all well and good to write for a women’s ministry or blog, or fill-in-your-blank, but the truth is that you can’t write the things the Lord calls you to write without actually also doing those things. You can’t sit behind a computer screen and let Holy Spirit flow through you to encourage and challenge other women to experience the fullness of God in everyday life without also actually experiencing the fullness of God in your everyday life. 

This Gracefully Truthful journey has required sacrifices of time, energy, sleep, and so much more, but it has also reaped a harvest of growth, transformation, commitment to reading and applying Scripture rightly and a passion to help women understand who they are in Christ and how to cooperate with the story He’s writing.

And in the end, if I really believe what Scripture and Holy Spirit show me to be true, how can I keep any part of myself from Him? I don’t know about you, but I want to walk out every measure of what He has for me to do here in His Kingdom. Whatever that looks like. Wherever that takes me. Whatever He requires. It’s all His and for His glory, anyway.
I’m just along for the ride.

How will you follow?
What’s your next YES of obedience?!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched VII Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Sketched VII!

Questions Day 6 To Save Or To Condemn?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 6:60-71
Romans 5:6-11
Isaiah 53:4-12

Questions, Day 6

In full transparency, which is what we like to do here at Gracefully Truthful….
I struggle regularly with today’s question.
Maybe I chose it so we could hash it out together.

Within Scripture, tensions exist across many subjects.
I don’t know about you, but I am not a fan of tension.

Little boxes.
Cute bows.
Black and white lines.
That’s my kind of language.

Tension ties my stomach in knots and screams at me to R U N.
But I’ve discovered two important truths about this tension.

ONE
It’s OK to wrestle with tension.
The knots in my stomach are known by God, and He isn’t threatened by my finite
ability to understand the infinite Almighty One.
He can handle my discomfort, and hold me in it.

TWO
It’s comforting.
If we could read the Bible with perfect clarity on every aspect,
never to be found wiggling in discomfort, the God of the Bible wouldn’t be all that big.

If a finite, 30-something woman, or even a finite 80-something biblical theologian, could fully comprehend the things of God, their god must be exceptionally small.
THIS, makes me much, much more uncomfortable.
How can I trust my eternity to a God I can fully understand when I can’t even comprehend eternity itself?!

So, tension or not, here we go.
Does God choose who to save and who to condemn?

Yes and no.
tension

Christ teaches the ONLY way to relationship with God is through Jesus Christ and His work accomplished at the cross. (John 14:6)

God holds all authority.
He defines justice.
He defines holiness.
He defines sin as anything straying from perfect righteousness.
Therefore, He alone determines the means of our salvation.

There is NO other name under heaven, given to men, by which anyone can be saved. (Acts 4:12)
Good works cannot save us. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Kind thoughts will not save us.
Generous giving will not earn us merit on God’s scale of righteousness.
Only One is righteous and good, and He is God alone. (Mark 10:18)
Thus, only God Himself has the ability to save.

Moreover, only the God of the Bible can save.
No other “gospel” is the true gospel, only what is preached within Scripture. (Galatians 1:8-9)
If a religion defines Jesus with even a single discrepancy apart from how Scripture defines Him as fully God and fully man, the entire belief system is faulty.
Zero variations from Scripture are counted true and trustworthy.

God cannot abide the presence of sin, which means He cannot be with humanity because we are born in sin. (Romans 5:12)
We don’t just DO bad things apart from God’s standard of righteousness; rather, we ARE sinners in our core.
Sin is our nature.

Our separation grieves God’s heart, so He offered the only way possible for restoration.

God came to earth and lived our life in the flesh for us, but did it perfectly, without sin. Then He sacrificed Himself, shedding His blood (for there is no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood, Hebrews 10:4), and dying our death in our place.

Christ bore our separation from God. He broke the unity of the godhead as Father, Son, and Spirit, allowing the full wrath of God to be poured out on Him in our place.

He rose three days after His death, proving He had conquered the grave and our sin. Now, He offers His own righteousness in exchange for our sin, if we will trust Him at His word, asking Him to rescue us from ourselves.

So, where is the tension?
Let’s be abundantly clear, God offers this redemptive exchange of righteousness for
sin to ALL who believe. (John 3:15)
He died as a sacrifice for the sins of the WHOLE world. (1 John 2:2)
Without Christ’s sacrifice, we would still be under God’s wrath because of our sin. (Ephesians 2:3)

Just as Jesus says that no one can come to God except through Himself,
He also says only those God has called and set apart can come to Him.
Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me
unless it is granted to him by the Father.”
(John 6:65)

Oh tension.
We can’t help but ask, does God intentionally create people, only to leave them in their sin and never call them to life?

Let’s see what Jesus says of His own disciples, one of whom, Judas Iscariot, rejected the hope, love, and forgiveness offered through Christ’s sacrifice.
Jesus replied to them, “Didn’t I choose you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.”
He was referring to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, one of the Twelve,
because he was going to betray Him.
(John 6:70-71)

Here is what we know to be absolutely true, and the resulting tension.
God only saves people through Jesus Christ as He is explained and defined in the Bible. (John 14:6)
God only saves those who have been set apart by the Father. (John 6:65)
Christ died for the sins of the world. (1 John 2:2)
Christ’s offer of salvation is available to all. (John 3:15)

God offered salvation to Judas Iscariot through Jesus Christ.
Jesus died to save Judas Iscariot.
God called and set apart Judas Iscariot.
Christ’s offer of salvation was available to Judas.
Judas walked away.
In so doing, he remained under God’s wrath. He died a slave to his original sin nature, never having surrendered his heart fully to Christ.

Did God choose for Judas to be condemned forever under His wrath?
Listen closely, my friend: Judas chose for himself to remain under God’s wrath.

Each one of us faces the same choice.
Will we choose to surrender and trust fully,
Or, like Judas, will we walk away?

Here, there need be no tension!
Choose Christ, and live in His freedom of forgiveness and rescue from sin!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Questions Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Questions!

The GT Weekend ~ Shielded Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) How would you define victorious living? How many of those answers require something beyond your ability to control to be a specific way? Amy noted in her Journey Study on Monday that she could trace the source of her lack of satisfaction, happiness, and peace back to a lack of relying on God and wearing the armor He provides. Too busy for a quiet time with God. Too much brokenness and hurt going on to be transparent with others. The need to rely on self over the Savior. Shame. The enemy is against us as daughters of the One True God, to be sure, but he does not have jurisdiction to win! Take back ground from the enemy this weekend by holding tightly to truth over lies!

2) Who have you fought with recently. Let those faces come to mind. Who has angered or frustrated you? Who do you struggle to even breath the same air with? Hold onto the mental image of their face, and begin praying for them. Right now. It’s okay, I know it’s hard to breathe right now. Hard to let your heart unclench while you look in their eyes. Maybe you even pull back. It’s okay. The reasons and justification for your anger or you pain are brimming at the surface, but call all the voices to halt. Pray for this person. Don’t stop until you feel your tension relax and you really do see their face as not that of your enemy. Don’t allow the true enemy of your heart to deceive you into believing this person is your nemesis. Keep praying for them this weekend, let God fight the battles of your heart for you.

3) One too many stacks of unwashed dishes. One too many tantrums from your toddler or door slams and eye rolls from your teenager. One more attack from your coworker. One more way your spouse added to the mountain of hurt in your heart. What holds you up in the midst? Rebekah Hargraves points us to the belt of truth, which is the whole of Scripture and every promise it holds. She notes how it isn’t a cute band of color around our waist, but as an anchor from which everything hinges for support and balance. Do you view Scripture like this? If so, stand strong in it, Sister! Continue to read His word for the sustaining life you already know the Father gives us through it and encourage others to do the same. If not, consider beginning to allow it to be that anchor for your heart. Start by reading 1 psalm a day and jotting down a few thoughts or questions as you read. The Lord Himself will guide and teach you!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Psalm 27:56 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

For He will conceal me in His shelter
in the day of adversity;
He will hide me under the cover of His tent;
He will set me high on a rock
Then my head will be high
above my enemies around me;
I will offer sacrifices in His tent with shouts of joy.
I will sing and make music to the Lord.

Prayer Journal
On the day of trouble and adversity, Lord, I often finish this verse with brave words of how I will rescue myself or rely on my own strength or ability to just “get it done!”. Perseverance and self-motivation leave me pretty empty, Lord, and don’t carry my heart very tenderly in the midst of hardship. There’s no room to handle my fears or unpack my frustrations. I forget You are present. I forget You have given me Your own armor, fitting it securely across my heart to protect me from the enemy of my soul. Teach me to rest in Your protection, to lay aside my anxious thoughts or angry words of retaliation, and let me rest in the peace You readily provide. Thank You for loving me so well, Abba!

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Here Day 12 Orient Kings: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Orient Kings!

The Questions

1) Who were the wise men from the east who arrived in Jerusalem? (verse 1)

2) What had they possibly studied to lead them to believe the baby was worthy of their worship? (verses 2 and 11)

3) What do we know about the dream the men had and how does it shape this passage?

Matthew 2:1-12

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Christ would be born. 5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet: 6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” 7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship him.” 9 After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.

Original Intent

1) Who were the wise men from the east who arrived in Jerusalem? (verse 1)
In reading this passage of Scripture, we discover three gifts were brought to the Child of Mary (verse 11). Many have assumed, and therefore have depicted, there were three wise men who came to visit the Christ child based on the number of gifts specifically recorded. However, the Bible does not ever say this. It is possible there were several more magi and gifts. Tradition began to adjust the narrative, and possibly by the 3rd century people began referring to the men as kings, which would have prophetically fulfilled the words of the psalmist (Psalm 72:8-11). Several centuries later, others would add specific names to the story. (Britannica.com) But in this inspired gospel, Matthew tells us very little about these men. He doesn’t provide names, nor does he give us specific places, other than they arrived in Jerusalem from the east after following “His star.” According to other Bible writers, the magi (also, wise men) were those who practiced magical arts (in Acts 8) or who were Babylonian priest-sages who studied the universe through astronomy and astrology (as seen in the Old Testament book of Daniel). Most Bible scholars believe these men traveled 800 to 900 miles to see this One who was born because they were familiar with the writings of the prophet Daniel (Daniel 9:24-27) and were seekers of the one true God.

2) What had they possibly studied to lead them to believe the baby was worthy of their worship? (verses 2 and 11)
There are Bible scholars who believe the ancestors of these men had possibly been instructed by the prophet Daniel about the coming Messiah. Daniel was the chief of the magi in Nebuchadnezzar’s court. (Daniel 1:17-21 )It is very possible his influence was significant within the group of the court sages and many came to believe in the God of Daniel because of his testimony hundreds of years before Christ was born.  Even so, these wise men had a limited understanding of the prophecies about Jesus as their knowledge had led them to Jerusalem, whereas Micah’s prophecy foretold of Bethlehem. It isn’t surprising the magi ended up in the capital city looking for a king, as it made reasonable sense. Nor would it be uncommon for them to approach King Herod to inquire about the newborn king. Little did they know that Herod had no interest in another potential king or that he would stop at nothing to ensure the child’s destruction. These wise men left Herod’s presence believing he also wanted to find the king in order to pay him homage. Once they found the child, their posture and gifts indicated their belief that they had indeed found the One they were seeking: they bowed, they worshipped, and they presented extravagant and significant gifts.

3) What do we know about the dream the men had and how does it shape this passage? (verse 12)
These men had no reason to doubt King Herod’s sincerity until the disturbing dream. It was so dramatic and impressive on their hearts they chose not to return to Herod. Apparently, the scribes who appeared in Herod’s court knew the Scriptures well enough they could recite it. Unfortunately, what they knew did not translate into belief. None of them had made their way to the place where their prophesied king had been born. Herod clearly must have feared that the prophesies could be true because he ordered the murder of all the boys near the age of the promised king (Matthew 2:16-17).  Interestingly, this event was part of God’s unfolding plan as He knew in advance of Herod’s decision and how it would impact young Jesus. God even spoke of all these things through the prophets. Though Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, Matthew tells us His journey through Egypt would fulfill the prophecy of Hosea (Matthew 2:15, Hosea 11:1) Had the wise men not heeded the warning regarding Herod, God would have used other means to fulfill His purposed plan for Joseph, Mary and Jesus.

Everyday Application

1) Who were the wise men from the east who arrived in Jerusalem? (verse 1)
Through the ages, God has used inconspicuous people like these wise men. His grace is not bound by certain places or families or lineage. The Spirit of God can lead people to Christ in ways we could not imagine or determine. Like these men of the east, some people may be born in dark or obscure places of the world, but by God’s prompting and leading, they are drawn to seek after Christ. As they move toward Him, our wonderful Father works behind the scenes to bring them into the presence of Jesus through the gospel message. Once there, God moves in their hearts and they recognize they have found Who they had always been looking for. So great is the love of the Father as He draws people to Himself! Be open and ready to share Jesus with anyone at any time as the Spirit leads, you may never know the impact He has designed for your obedient sharing!

2) What had they possibly studied to lead them to believe the baby was worthy of their worship? (verses 2 and 11)
Shouldn’t it have been the scribes and the Pharisees running first to Bethlehem to look for the Christ child? Yes! Instead, it was some wandering shepherds who came to the place of the newborn king after the angels announced His birth.  Now, months later, several unknown sages traveled from hundreds of miles away to worship the One they had heard and read about. This passage reveals how knowledge of Jesus must lead to seeking of Jesus. Herod had a fear of the possible truth he’d heard about this newborn Child. The scribes quoted the verses that prophesied of the coming King. But only the wise men and shepherds sought to come near to Him. It was then they knew in their hearts they were near God Himself. Those of us who have seen the reflection of Christ’s light shining like that star in the night could sing with the wise men: “I have seen the Light shining in the darkness, bursting through the shadows, delivering the dawn. I have seen the Light whose holy name is Jesus, His kingdom is forever; He reigns on Heaven’s throne!” (Music & Lyrics by Robert Sterling & Chris Machen)

3) What do we know about the dream the men had and how does it shape this passage? (verse 12)
The wise men had gone to great lengths and traveled many miles to find Jesus. They had probably sacrificed a great deal of their lives to get to Him. Yet, upon meeting Him, they were not proud, rather they were humbled. Instead of running back to Herod with the news that they were the wise ones who had discovered the newborn King, they bowed to Jesus. They offered Christ amazing gifts, then they quietly departed the area and never returned to Herod, and likely never saw Jesus again either. These wise men had witnessed God in ways they had not expected and it changed the course of their lives. When we come face to face with Jesus, it humbles us. It also changes the trajectory of our lives.
JC Ryle said of these men, “The conduct of the wise men is a striking example of faith. They believed in Christ when they had never seen Him. They believed in Him when the Scribes and Pharisees were unbelieving. They believed in Him when they saw Him a little infant on Mary’s knee. And they worshiped Him as a king.” We would be wise to do the same!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Orient Kings!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Here Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

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Here Day 10 Simeon

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 52:13-53:1
Luke 2:22-35
Isaiah 25:1-9

Here, Day 10

Though I often stumble as I amble because I am an old man,
today I could run like the youth and fly like an eagle. (Isaiah 40:31)

I have seen the salvation of my people!
He came in flesh, wrapped in linen, carried by a virgin.
Oh, the miraculous grace of my Lord!
Oh, His kindness that He gave sight to my faith.
Oh, the wonder of how this baby will save my people and more than I can imagine.
Oh, the heartache his mother will bear, his father will not be able to spare her from.

I endured a fitful night of sleep, woke early, and felt I must go to the temple right away as the Spirit led me. As I watched precious parents parade into the temple with lambs, or turtledoves and pigeons for those of meager means, I spotted Him and my heart quickened as God’s Spirit moved within me, opening my eyes to see His Promised One.

I stood for a few moments, taking in the scene before me. So long have I waited. So long have I prayed. Shamefully I recall my doubt when the years stretched on without answer. Yet, despite my doubt, the Lord has proven faithful. Tears stream unabashedly down my beard as my eyes drank in the long-awaited sight of the Messiah.
His mother so attentive to His cry, His father so attentive to His mother, and I marveled at the miracle of it all.

The Messiah!
How many have waited for this day right along with me, and yet, as I looked around at the crowd, my heart broke with agony.
They do not know! The ONE we have waited generations for is here, in our midst! Yet, they carry on. Oh Lord, make them see, I breathed.

The priest accepted their offering, 2 turtledoves, the offering marked out for the poorest of the poor. (Leviticus 12:8) Emotion flooded me as I realized Yahweh’s powerful grandeur lay before me wrapped in peasant flesh. Here. He was here with us.

And suddenly, overwhelmed by the Spirit, I moved forward with eyes only for the small, poor, sacred family of three as they left the altar. I approached, gently inquiring if I might prophesy over their child. They eagerly handed Him over as though they knew already what I was going to say. Had they been visited, too? Did they know Whose tiny fingers gripped theirs? Did they see how the One who held all things together was now being held by them? Unfathomable!

Nevertheless, I took this boy, just eight days old, raised him in the air and proclaimed by the Spirit,
Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace, as you promised. For my eyes have
seen your salvation. You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples—a light for
revelation to the Gentiles and glory to your people Israel.

I returned the boy to His parents, having held the Author of Life in my hands. Though my tongue had now stilled from the Spirit’s work, my heart continued in prayer as my soul lifted to heights I’d never experienced.
The wait was over, Hope was here!

Yes, this baby will bring joy, peace, and salvation, but His life will also perplex, anger, and confuse others. He will not rise on the accolades of all, nor fall from the targeted anger of those He offends, but He will live out His destiny.

And now I have lived out mine.
You promised, my God, that my faith would be given sight. You promised I would see Your Salvation.
You promised I would see the Messiah.
You promised, and though it felt like I might have misheard you at times for the longing of it, and the waiting for it, You have kept your promise. You have kept Your word.
You are faithful!

Here I am, an old man fulfilled in your kept word.
Here I am, a man whose life has been devoted wholly to you, satisfied and finding it all worth it.
The questioning, the doubting, the mocking at times by my own?
All worth it.
You kept your word.
You are worthy. 

For those who have yet to experience You and Your faithfulness,
may Your grace be upon them. 

For sweet Mary, whose heart will near break in two at the fulfillment of your word,
may Your grace be upon her. 

For Joseph, just a man called to raise the Son of Man,
may Your grace be upon him.

For all those who will question the life of this baby, the far-reaching grace of His life,
may Your grace be upon them to believe.

For those who will be questioned in their belief because they do not fit the mold of your Promised people,
may Your grace be upon them to persevere in hope.

For those who will condemn and betray this Messiah because He is not who they want Him to be, may Your grace be upon their souls. 

Have mercy, dear God, upon all
just as You have had mercy on me. 

And, now, I am at peace.
However much longer my days, I know a peace that nothing can pierce for my hope has been realized. Give this peace to all who may look upon the eyes and life of this baby and hope as I have, now, and for all time to come.  Amen!

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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Here Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Here!

Open Day 4 Pineapple Power: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Pineapple Power!

The Questions

1) Where is Zarephath and why is this significant?

2) Why would Elijah insist on the widow making some bread for himself first before herself and her son? (verse 13)

3) How is this widow’s faith important in the story of Scripture?

1 Kings 17:8-16

Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Get up, go to Zarephath that belongs to Sidon and stay there. Look, I have commanded a woman who is a widow to provide for you there.” 10 So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup and let me drink.” 11 As she went to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.”

12 But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I don’t have anything baked—only a handful of flour in the jar and a bit of oil in the jug. Just now, I am gathering a couple of sticks in order to go prepare it for myself and my son so we can eat it and die.”

13 Then Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid; go and do as you have said. But first make me a small loaf from it and bring it out to me. Afterward, you may make some for yourself and your son, 14 for this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land.’”

15 So she proceeded to do according to the word of Elijah. Then the woman, Elijah, and her household ate for many days. 16 The flour jar did not become empty, and the oil jug did not run dry, according to the word of the Lord he had spoken through Elijah.

Original Intent

1) Where is Zarephath and why is this significant?
The town of Zarephath was nestled in the country of Sidon beyond the borders of Israel. Why does this matter? Because Elijah was Jewish and the location of Zarephath made this widow a Gentile. Jews didn’t associate with Gentiles. Jews were the chosen people of God, Gentiles were ‘everyone else’. But God told Elijah to go to this widow, this Gentile, this ‘heathen’, yet she was the one who displayed enough faith in Elijah’s God of Israel (verse 12) that the Lord God displayed His great faithfulness to her. (verse 14) She feared the God of Israel. She took the prophet at his word spoken on behalf of his God, and she trusted.

2) Why would Elijah insist on the widow making some bread for himself first before herself and her son? (verse 13)
It feels self-focused and outlandish doesn’t it? “I see you and your son are about to die, so please make your last loaf of bread for me first.” If we don’t slow down, the request comes across cold-hearted and selfish. But that isn’t Elijah’s intent or God’s heart in the slightest. The widow had heard of Elijah’s God, she knew He was powerful. (verse 12 “as the Lord your God lives”) It’s one thing to hear stories, but quite another to trust in the God of those stories when your life and the life of your son are at stake. Add to the fact this woman was Gentile and not Jewish. According to religious culture, there was no reason for the God of Israel to bless a Gentile’s faith. Which is precisely why there is a line drawn in the sand by the Lord through the prophet’s words. Make the bread for Elijah first, and trust the God of Israel will provide for you and your son despite your logical calculations. This is the challenge of faith. The widow had to choose, either trust herself and die or trust the word of the Lord and live.

3) How is this widow’s faith important in the story of Scripture?
God used the faith of this widow to paint a vivid picture of true faith that is always welcomed by God. Centuries later when that widow and her son had long been buried and turned to dust, Jesus picked up her story in Luke 4:25-26 as He spoke to His own townspeople in Nazareth. They were His own neighbors, Jews waiting expectantly for the Messiah, but like all the widows who lived in Israel in Elijah’s time, they didn’t believe Jesus at His word. They scoffed. This can’t be the Messiah, we saw Him grow up. This is Joseph’s boy, we’ve seen him run the streets his whole life. They were too familiar with Jesus to be able to accept Him at His word that He was the fulfillment of all the ancient prophecies which they had studied for so long. In fact, Jesus’ claims of being God in the flesh, of being this promised Messiah come to rescue and set free and redeem, was so impossible to the Nazarites they became furious with Jesus. They literally mobbed Jesus, throwing Him out of the temple where He’d been teaching with every intention of throwing Him over the cliff to His death. But Jesus, being exactly the God He claimed to be, walked right through the angry crowd, leaving Nazareth and His faithless neighbors behind. They had Messiah in their midst, but they wanted only to be rid of Him.

Everyday Application

1) Where is Zarephath and why is this significant?
This seemingly random story of an arbitrary widow from Zarephath was deeply intentional by the Lord God. Here in the Old Testament, God was showing Elijah, and all Jews who would later read the recorded encounter or tell it as it was passed down generation to generation, that God was for the nations. Jew and Gentile. All peoples. Yes, God used the Jews as His chosen people to setup history as the backdrop for the coming Messiah who would rescue and reconcile all who would come to Him, but His heart has always been for all. Surely, Elijah raised an eyebrow at minimum when God directed Him outside of Israel for sustenance. To the Gentiles? Yes, to the Gentiles God sent His prophet, that the Name of the Lord God would continue to be declared to all people. I wonder, how often do we do the same with such careful intentions? Do we invite the ‘comfortable Christian people’ over for dinner, or are we making space to bring God’s Name to all? How are we using our “pineapple moments” for His glory?

2) Why would Elijah insist on the widow making some bread for himself first before herself and her son? (verse 13)
This “line in the sand” is exactly how it is for every single person living past, present, or future. At some point, we must each decide if we will trust ourselves and die or trust the word of the Lord and live. If we seek to save our soul by being good enough, doing more good than bad, going to church, giving money, praying hard, or even punishing ourselves, we are damned for eternity. Our sin is too deep, too marring, too impossible to outweigh compared to the flawless righteousness required by a righteous God. If we trust ourselves to save ourselves, we are condemned to death. But if we, just like the widow from Zarephath, see the line in the sand, and choose to take God at His word that He literally took our death on Himself, died in our place, and gave us His own perfect righteous standing before the Holy God Himself to us, WE LIVE! Through His death for us, we are made alive! But not by hearing this story, not by going to church, not by ‘knowing about God’, but through faith. Faith that says, “I believe You, God, are exactly who You say You are. And on that claim, I stake my life.” That’s exactly what the widow did, and it’s precisely what God is asking each of us.

3) How is this widow’s faith important in the story of Scripture?
The widow’s story in 1 Kings, reiterated by Jesus in Luke, hits home for us in our churches, our neighborhoods, and cities. America is still known as the ‘Christian country’, the place where you’re ‘Christian’ simply because of birthplace, or because you ‘believe in God’. Let this widow’s story hit our hearts in the most tender places. Sisters, even the demons ‘believe in God’. (James 2:19) Belief in God does not save. Birthplace or home address or family tree does not save any more for us than it did for the many Jewish widows who lived in Elijah’s time or the many Jews who lived in Nazareth. Only true faith, true heart trust in the faithfulness of God to be and do exactly as He says He will be and do. Only this kind of faith saves. This is the faith of the widow from Zarephath. This is the faith of a true believer who will be rescued from the consequences of our sin, which is death and eternal separation from God. So we beg the question, “of what is our faith made of”? Have we had ‘just enough’ Jesus to make us angry at Him when His call interferes with our want? Or do we take Him at His word that He is the Divine Rescuer, come to save, redeem, and make us new?!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Pineapple Power!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Open Week One!
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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.